Modeling wind fields and fire propagation following bark beetle outbreaks in spatially-heterogeneous pinyon-juniper woodland fuel complexes

• Published in: Agricultural and forest meteorology Vol. 173; pp. 139 - 153
• Main Authors: Linn, Rodman R., Sieg, Carolyn H., Hoffman, Chad M., Winterkamp, Judith L., McMillin, Joel D.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 15.05.2013; Elsevier
• Subjects: Agricultural and forest climatology and meteorology. Irrigation. Drainage; Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; atmosphere; Bark beetle tree mortality; bark beetles; Biological and medical sciences; canopy; conditioned behavior; dead wood; Fire behavior; fire hazard; fires; FIRETEC; fuel loading; fuels; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General agronomy. Plant production; Heterogeneous woodlands; Juniperus; mortality; pinyon-juniper; stand structure; tree mortality; trees; turbulent flow; water content; wind speed; Wind turbulence; woodlands; Heterogeneous woodlands; Fire behavior; Wind turbulence; FIRETEC; Bark beetle tree mortality; Wind; Turbulence; Propagation; Forest zone; Coleoptera; Insecta; Mortality; Modeling; Field; Heterogeneity; Pest; Arthropoda; Fuel; Fire; Curculionidae; Behavior; Invertebrata

► The magnitude and fluctuations in wind flow were altered following bark beetle outbreaks. ► Fire rate of spread increased 2-fold immediately following the bark beetle outbreak. ► Increased crosswinds following needle drop resulted in a more robust fire front. We used a physics-based model, HIGRAD/...